EMDR Therapy with Myra Hurtado

Myra is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is the Owner and Clinical Director of Healing Hearts Counseling in Gilbert, AZ. She is a Certified EMDR Therapist and Approved EMDR Consultant with EMDRIA.

What is EMDR therapy?

Myra: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy assists people in recovering from the emotional pain and symptoms that are caused by distressing experiences either “big” or “little.” It desensitizes overwhelming experiences reducing reactivity in our thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. 

The brain and the body have an amazing capacity and propensity to heal itself. Just as when we get a splinter in our physical body and the body works at pushing the splinter to the surface trying to remove it, the brain works at trying to resolve unprocessed traumatic and adverse life events. This can show up as a “flashback” - involuntary recurrent memory where an individual can have a sudden, usually powerful, re-experiencing of a past experience or elements of a past experience. These flashbacks can be images, emotions or even body sensations. They can be triggered by something we’ve seen, heard, tasted, touched or smelled. It activates the memory network in the brain. The brain is amazing! It is constantly pulling from what we already know and what we’ve already experienced, these are “chains of association” that our brain uses to make sense of new experiences and to store information. The problem is when we have “unprocessed” information or “stuck” experiences, it can feel like we are re-living these events mentally, emotionally or physically.

I often explain to clients how EMDR helps the brain to “digest” what has become stuck. Just as the stomach disgests a big meal, taking what it needs and getting rid of the rest, utilizing EMDR and bilateral stimulation, we activate the memory processing engine in the brain. Desensitizing and discharging what we no longer need, linking to adaptive networks and information, allowing the brain to store it in long term memory.

Another analogy I like is “pages in a book.” When we experience trauma, our prefrontal cortex goes off line and our ability to process information is highjacked as we go into survival responses. When an experience is not fully processed, it is not stored in our long term memory and it is like pages of a book floating in the air. EMDR helps to pull all the pages down and one by one put them back into the book so you can turn the page. It is over, the trauma is over. It’s ok now. You are safe.

It does not ever make what happened ok. But EMDR helps one to process through it and land in a good space.

Can you explain what a Big “T” and Little “t” trauma are?

Myra: At an effort to differentiate types of traumatic experiences some have coined the term "Big T" and "little t" trauma. It’s not my favorite because it can sound invalidating.  "Big T" refers to overt traumas of either perceived or real life threat experience toward self or as a witness of someone else. "Little t" traumas refer to the more behind the scenes personal traumas of inter-relational nature of loss, neglect and abuse. Research shows that stacked little t traumas can have an even more adverse impact then one singular big T. 

The truth is they aren't "big" and "little"... They are painful and traumatizing. And sometimes we get stuck and need help processing these experiences and releasing them from our body, mind and heart.

Does EMDR wipe the traumatic memory from a person’s brain? 

Myra: No, it does not erase the memory. But, the memory will no longer have so much power over you. It reduces reactivity to it, creating distance from it, so when you happen to think about it, it feels like something that happened that’s over. 

What conditions does EMDR treat?

Myra: Anger, anxiety, depression, relational issues, bullying, OCD, excessive worry, eating disorders, etc. Anything that could be rooted in someone’s memory or experience. It wouldn’t treat diseases such as Cancer, but it can treat the emotional response around it. It won’t change the biological things in your body, but it can lessen and process distress around these experiences. Any symptom rooted in memory and experience can be effectively treated with EMDR.

How many EMDR sessions should a client expect to have?

Myra: Each client is unique and experiences are different. Someone could move through one “target” in a single session. There are 8 phases in EMDR, so there is more than just the processing and desensitization.The 8 phases include: History & Treatment planning, Preparation, Assessment, Desensitization, Instillation, Body Scan, Closure, and Reevaluation.  

What age is appropriate for EMDR?

Myra:  It is useful and effective for clients across the life span with children through adulthood. 

What tip would you give someone who is considering doing EMDR in their therapy treatment?

Myra: Be really gentle with yourself. It does relieve stress and distressing symptoms, but it can also stir up things at first. It can bring memory to the surface that may have previously held subconsciously. You also may find you need some rest after your sessions. Your brain and nervous system are working hard as you process. Your clinician will give you tools to handle this. It is so important to communicate with your clinician and to be gentle towards yourself!

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I appreciate Myra for sharing her knowledge and many years of experience and training with EMDR. Myra has been using EMDR for many years to help clients heal from past trauma. She has also been a vital part in equipping other therapists, including myself, to be proficient EMDR therapists. Thank you Myra!